Planning for the new flexible world of work: Insights from across the Commonwealth

Shailen Gungah is currently Director of Human Resources at the University of Mauritius (UoM). He has been working at the University for the past 21 years. He started his career as Administrative Assistant and was appointed subsequently to Assistant Registrar. Shailen has been responsible for the development and transformation of HR at the UoM and has been engaged in the implementation of several HR projects (for example: Oracle university integrated information systems for the digitisation of HR processes, HR webpage to enhance HR service delivery, training needs assessment, preparation of the UoM staff handbook, online recruitment systems, etc.).

He has also contributed to the development of several HR policies (for example: equal opportunity, grievance and discipline, anti-corruption policy). Shailen has been involved with the ACU HR in HE Community for several years, helping to promote the activities of the ACU at UoM and has also participated in two ACU HR in HE Community conferences: one in 2016 in Mauritius and the other in 2018 in Waterloo, Canada.

Indeeren Vencatachellum specialises in human resource development, knowledge management, and eHR. He lectures on remote working in his eHR and knowledge management modules on both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

He contributed to several local radio programmes and newspapers on working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. Previously, he was a management consultant for Coopers & Lybrand, and KPMG, advising on organisational review, salary restructuring, performance management, productivity, and quality improvement projects. Indeeren regularly delivers management development programmes in both public and private sector organisations, and has published scholarly and business papers. He was the conference chair of the local organising committee for the ACU HR in HE Community international conference in 2016. He is currently the Principal Investigator on an ACU HR in HE Community Challenge Grant funded research project about the implementation of remote/hybrid working at the University of Mauritius.

Elizabeth Baré has headed the human resource function in three different organizations. Her longest appointment was as Vice-Principal (Human Resources) at the University of Melbourne. She has a strong background in industrial relations, academic workforce planning and staffing strategies designed to support research and enhance research output.

Building on that background, since 2010, Liz has worked in higher education in Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific, the United Kingdom and in the Caribbean. She has specific expertise in academic performance management and academic workload management and has consulted and published in these areas. She is a facilitator and moderator in the Emerging Leaders and Managers Program and has consulted widely on a broad range of management issues in higher education.

Liz is currently a Fellow of the Centre for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Melbourne. She is a partner in HR Global Innovations and a member of the Steering Committee for the ACU HR in HE Community.

Lisa Yuhasz is currently the Manager, Workforce Planning at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.  This role and team were established in 2021 to help support the university to navigate the future of work post pandemic.  Lisa and her team guide leaders through a process to ensure the right number of people with the right skills are in the right place at the right time to deliver the short- and long-term objectives of the University of Waterloo.

Lisa has 20+ years of HR experience, and 10 years within the post-secondary education sector.  Lisa has her Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) and Certified HR Leader (CHRL) designation, as well as certificates in Alternate Dispute Resolution, Change Management (ADKAR model) and Foresight Methodology.